Gigli Gets to the USA

Well, it has been a busy month. We have been in RI now for six days, and it remains a culture shock each time I am here. I am also amazed at how the Spanish language has taken over, even this far away from Mexico. It didn't take us long to realize that if you want to feel thin, just go to Walmart or some similar store.

It seems that Newport has finally gotten on the ball and repaired some city streets. They always do that when the taxes are going up. The sidewalks still remain as they were, and most are older than me. Driving down here from BOS was like being in a science fiction movie when a city is being evacuated. I do not know how people can live like that. The RI folks are still very courteous drivers as opposed to BOS, but our rental has Massachusetts plates on it, so I don't know what that will bring. It was funny to see a guy, obviously from MA lose it today in the 12 items or less line at the grocery store. Of course there were only about 20 people in that line. The best was a woman who was behind me in a regular line with two melons. She had tried to do the self checkout, but the machine said she owed $375.00, and she decided to get a second opinion from a human cashier.

Airlines and airports are now my least favorite mode of travel, but a ship takes too long. The plane ride in a cattle car is tolerable, but the airports are another thing. Once again, the dog tag chain set me up as a terrorist suspect. It always amazes me that a tri or quadralingual man can work as a security guard in CH. USA customs asked about my cigar declaration as if Cubans could be a threat to our homeland. I simply told him that I don't like Cubans, and no issue was made.

The Newport home looked pretty good even if it is over a century old. Now the porch furniture is clean and out, the newspaper has been started, the larder is loaded with foreign foods like coffee syrup and stuffed cherry pepers, and the first guests arrive tomorrow. The entire state of NJ and most of MA and NY were here for the Memorial Day weekend. The Red Sox are on TV with each game, but since they have lost the last three, I may be a jinx. Thank god that we don't have to drive to get to the harbor. I can settle back and read the ridiculous real estate ads now.